Metal meets plastic in a new way
Canadian Plastics
Collar joining is a solution for joining molded plastic to sheet metal conceived by researchers at BASF in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The process is said to have several advantages compared with overmoldi...
Collar joining is a solution for joining molded plastic to sheet metal conceived by researchers at BASF in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The process is said to have several advantages compared with overmolding, and is being targeted for automotive uses.
In collar joining, parts are joined by mechanically pressing a collar protruding from the metal component into the plastic component. An undercut on the collar ensures that the metal remains firmly anchored.
The researchers say this method gives designers more freedom to optimize the strength of the plastic component, which is particularly important in high-stress applications. Thus, hybrid parts may be made smaller and lighter. Another advantage is that parts are less prone to warpage than those produced by overmolding. The mold may also be cheaper to build.
“Even if you take into account the cost of a press or an assembly robot, collar joining — for high volume production — is cheaper than current assembly methods,” says Dr. Ulrich Endemann, head of application research for hybrid parts.
BASF Canada Inc. 800-267-2955
